An important part of being eligible to apply for the Basic
Payment Scheme, is being able to meet the requirements of being a
'farmer' who undertakes an 'agricultural activity'. An agricultural
activity can include the production, rearing or growing of
agricultural products, including harvesting, milking, breeding
animals, and keeping animals for farming purposes.

If you have land which is naturally kept in a state suitable for
cultivation and grazing (essentially all land in Payment Regions
two and three) and it represents more than half of your holding
(inclusive of any seasonal land) you must also meet rules on
exercising a minimum activity.

In terms of agricultural livestock production on land in Payment
Regions two and three, the minimum activity is:

a stocking density of less than 0.05 livestock units per
hectare, or

a stocking density of less than 0.05 livestock units per
hectare where the farmer can demonstrate that such a stocking
density is appropriate for the land by reference to the historic
records kept in respect of the carrying capacity of the holding,
or

an environmental management agreement with Scottish Natural
Heritage or an agri-environment commitment within which the
farmer is subject to the regulations for rural development
support.

For the purposes of the stocking density calculation, a
'livestock unit' means a unit of measurement of livestock numbers.
Each of the following constitutes one livestock unit:

one beef cow over 24 months of age

1.66 beef cows over 20 months and up to and including 24
months of age

one dairy cow over 24 months of age

1.66 dairy cows over 20 months and up to and including 24
months of age

6.66 breeding ewes or gimmers

6.66 breeding goats kept as part of a regular breeding herd
for fibre production